01.01This UPPS establishes policies for releasing
information contained in records maintained by the University Police
Department.

02.DEFINITIONS
AND REPORTING LINES

02.01"Director" as used in this UPPS
refers to the director of the University Police Department.

02.02The University Police Department, a sub-unit
of a government agency, performs the administration of criminal justice
pursuant to state statute and allocates a significant part of its annual budget
to the administration of criminal justice. It is a "criminal justice
agency" as defined in 28 CFR § 20.3(g)(2).

02.03For the purpose of dissemination of
information, and for the purpose of administration of criminal justice, those
individuals in the director's administrative chain of authority have access to
information maintained by the University Police Department, subject to the
restrictions and limitations of law.

02.04Officers of the university police are peace
officers under article 2.12, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.

02.05Law enforcement records of the University
Police Department relating to university students are:

a.maintained apart from other student
educational records;

b.maintained solely for law enforcement
purposes; and

c.not disclosed, other than to law enforcement
officials of the same jurisdiction or to campus administration for internal
action due to violations of university policy. Student education records
maintained by Texas State are not disclosed to personnel of the University
Police Department, except when in compliance with the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974 (see UPPS No. 01.04.31).

03.PROCEDURES
FOR THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION

03.01Generally, the university will release to the
media, either at the university's initiative in the form of a press release, or
in response to media inquiries, not made confidential by law.

03.02The director of the University Police Department,
or his or her designee, ordinarily will respond to media inquiries about
criminal investigations and incidents involving police action. The director may,
after responding to a media inquiry, refer the inquirer to the director of
University News Service for additional assistance. The director will notify the
director of University News Service of all media inquiries as soon as practical
after they occur.

03.03The following are guidelines for information
that may be released to the press:

a.nature of the offense;

b.location and time of the offense (the exact
address of a sex offense, where such information could lead to the identity of
the victim, shall not be released);

c.injuries sustained or damages resulting from
the action. When there has been extensive damage to or loss of property owned
by the university, dollar estimates of the loss must be cleared by the vice president
for Finance and Support Services before their release. The amount taken in
robberies or burglaries shall not be released, nor shall any information be
released regarding exact identifying information that could be known only to
the guilty party (i.e., "investigating keys");

d.identity of the victim, except that the name
of an alleged sex crime victim shall not be released;

e.method of complaint (officer observation,
citizen, warrant);

f.whether or not there are suspects (the
identity of suspects not charged shall not be released);

g.names of persons arrested, except that the
names of juvenile arrestees shall not be released;

h.date and time of arrest;

i.the exact charge;

j.facts and circumstances relating to the
arrest, such as resistance, pursuit, and possession or use of a weapon; and

k.the name of the arresting officer (undercover
operations may require withholding the officer's identity).

03.04Information that is exempt from required
public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act, Government Code
Chapter 552, shall not be released to the press or the public (seeUPPS No. 01.04.30).

03.05Before releasing the names of deceased or
injured individuals, the director, or his or her designee will verify
notification of next of kin.

04.REVIEWERS
OF THIS UPPS

04.01Reviewers of this UPPS include the
following:

PositionDate

Director, University Police DepartmentJune 1 E6Y

Support Services Supervisor,June
1 E6Y

University Police Department

Director, University News ServiceJune 1 E6Y

Associate Vice President andJune
1 E6Y

Dean of Students

05. CERTIFICATION
STATEMENT

This UPPS has
been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents
Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until
superseded.